Battle against MRSA shows signs of success

The battle against MRTSA is showing signs of success, with cases down by a third compared to last year.

Data from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) released today show there were 725 cases of the superbug from July to September, a drop of 13 per cent compared to the previous quarter.

Compared to last year, there has been a 33 per cent drop, from 1,082 cases, the HPA confirmed.

Professor Mike Catchpole, director of the HPA's centre for infections, said the reduction in cases of MRSA was testament to the "huge efforts being made across the NHS to tackle the problem of healthcare-associated infections".

"To ensure this downward trend continues, we cannot be complacent. We must all play our part - the public and healthcare workers - by ensuring the infection control measures that have made the current fight against MRSA so successful remain in place," he added.

Health minister Ann Keen said the government's strategy of extra investment, increasing the number of matrons and the bare below the elbows dress code to support hand hygiene was clearly having an impact.

Anna Walker, chief executive of the Healthcare Commission, added the reductions showed the NHS was coming to grips with MRSA, but warned that the fight against the infection should not lose momentum and there was still work to be done.

"We are clear NHS trusts are taking infection prevention and control very seriously. This has played a key role in the decline in MRSA rates," she said.

"We have seen from our inspections and assessments that many trusts still have gaps in their systems that need closing. To keep rates going down, trusts must ensure their systems protect every patient, every time.

"This applies to all healthcare-associated infections, not just MRSA. We are demanding a high standard of infection control from trusts. This is what patients expect and are entitled to."